Mark Oshiro’s sophomore release is an incredibly ambitious and emotional epic fantasy story that is so deeply rooted in the idea of questioning your world. It’s full of Spanish, poetry, and beauty, and really speaks to the power of stories—the stories we pass on to each other, the stories we keep for ourselves, and how our lives boil down to the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.

The story Xochital’s always been told about her role as a cuentista is that she’s destined to merely be a vessel for other people’s stories, sins, and secrets—that her entire purpose is to carry those burdens from one place to another without leaving any space for herself. As she and Emilia begin their perilous journey into the desert, Xochital is encountering other cuentistas for the first time in her life, and realizing how different their roles can truly be. She is desperately trying to break this cycle of hidden trauma within her community while also giving herself space to figure out who she is beyond being what other people need her to be. She is more than the service she can provide to her neighbors, and by being brave enough to do things differently and question all her beliefs, she’s allowing herself to finally get to a better place.

There are challenges and hardships along the way, bitter secrets and dangerous set-backs, but Xochital and Emilia persist through it all. Each of Us a Desert truly transports the reader on an epic journey across the desert. It’s a story that tests its characters in every imaginable way, and the slow-burning drama will make you want to see Xochital through until the very end. It’s an incredibly satisfying fantasy full of emotion, and Xochital’s journey is one you won’t soon forget!